I agree, it is hard to argue with 7-0 in BCS title games, before even mentioning AU's snub in 2004 where they went 13-0 but weren't invited. How about props for five SEC West teams in the top 15 at the end of the year? The SEC looks like Goliath to the rest of the FBS's David and imo I don't see this changing for the foreseeable future.

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I agree. The SEC will continue to dominate for a very simple reason...they care more about football than any other conference/culture/etc. Football is religion and the entire calendar year hinges on success or failure for some people (particularly the entire states of MS, AL, LA, TN, SC, GA). Living in Cali but having grown up and lived in a number of southern states, I can assure you that no one else cares about college football like they (the South) do. No comparison her in Cali, except when USC is good. But those fans are "fair weather" of the highest order. Oregon probably comes closest to an SEC atmosphere. I appreciate the affinity but at the same time, it's sort of a sickness. My friends from Bama talk about football year round...recruiting, recruiting violations, spring practice, etc. It's crazy. People on the west coast will say it's because SEC fans have nothing else to do. That's not true. I just think they don't want to do anything else.

Having said that, we arent' that far-removed from the 90's, when Nebraska and Florida St. owned the decade. Even though there were 3-4 champs some years, the SEC only put out 4 "champions". All is takes are a few violations or coaching changes to shake things up.

SEC schools also pump a TON of money into football and coach salaries, often to the detriment of academics. I can guarantee you that >90% of SEC alumns would rather donate money to the athletic dept than an academic dept. I bet >90% would also rather see the football team do well than move into the top 50 universities (with the exception of Vandy). The Big 10 and ACC are certainly more academically inclined and of course, the ACC's old school core really only cares about basketball.

I agree. The SEC will continue to dominate for a very simple reason...they care more about football than any other conference/culture/etc. Football is religion and the entire calendar year hinges on success or failure for some people (particularly the entire states of MS, AL, LA, TN, SC, GA). Living in Cali but having grown up and lived in a number of southern states, I can assure you that no one else cares about college football like they (the South) do. No comparison her in Cali, except when USC is good. But those fans are "fair weather" of the highest order. Oregon probably comes closest to an SEC atmosphere. I appreciate the affinity but at the same time, it's sort of a sickness. My friends from Bama talk about football year round...recruiting, recruiting violations, spring practice, etc. It's crazy. People on the west coast will say it's because SEC fans have nothing else to do. That's not true. I just think they don't want to do anything else.

Having said that, we arent' that far-removed from the 90's, when Nebraska and Florida St. owned the decade. Even though there were 3-4 champs some years, the SEC only put out 4 "champions". All is takes are a few violations or coaching changes to shake things up.

SEC schools also pump a TON of money into football and coach salaries, often to the detriment of academics. I can guarantee you that >90% of SEC alumns would rather donate money to the athletic dept than an academic dept. I bet >90% would also rather see the football team do well than move into the top 50 universities (with the exception of Vandy). The Big 10 and ACC are certainly more academically inclined and of course, the ACC's old school core really only cares about basketball.

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Kevin, I'm over 50 and have lived in Alabama and Tennessee my entire life including growing up in Tuscaloosa. I think I've got a pretty good idea of what college football means to the people in this part of the country.

You've made quite a few claims, some of which I think are valid and others not so much, however debating them would bore me to tears. For the record though, Ohio State pumps more money into college football than any other university.

Kevin, I'm over 50 and have lived in Alabama and Tennessee my entire life including growing up in Tuscaloosa. I think I've got a pretty good idea of what college football means to the people in this part of the country.

You've made quite a few claims, some of which I think are valid and others not so much, however debating them would bore me to tears. For the record though, Ohio State pumps more money into college football than any other university.

The Big 10 and ACC are certainly more academically inclined and of course, the ACC's old school core really only cares about basketball.

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Another major factor is that each conference has a certain "team profile" that sharply influences how teams recruit. The first priority is to win your conference, and so even a traditional powerhouse, will favorably recruit size over speed (Big-10), speed over size (ACC), offense over defense, etc. to win the conference. You can't survive the SEC without offensive/defensive lines loaded with 3 to 5 star athletes.

Kevin, I'm over 50 and have lived in Alabama and Tennessee my entire life including growing up in Tuscaloosa. I think I've got a pretty good idea of what college football means to the people in this part of the country.

You've made quite a few claims, some of which I think are valid and others not so much, however debating them would bore me to tears. For the record though, Ohio State pumps more money into college football than any other university.

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I'm sure you do have an idea growing up in those two states. Having played at an ACC school and taught at two SEC schools during grad school and now in a large Cal system, I have a pretty good idea about what goes on academically and athletically. I'm sure even you won't deny the priority that athletics are to SEC schools? OSU does put a lot of $$ into football but they are also one of the largest universities in the nation with a massive alumni base.I'm not saying it doesn't hold true with ACC, PAC 10 or Big 10 schools but it's certainly not to the same degree. I mean, six of the ten highest paid coaches are in the SEC yet Vandy is their only top 50 university. It angers me as an alumn because I've watched the academic ranking of most SEC schools plunge while the ACC, Big 10, Big 12 and PAC 10 schools rise. Every Big 10 school is a top 100 uni (most are top 50) as are all but one (FSU, of course) ACC school (8 are top 50). I would just like to see more balance at my grad school alma mater and the other SEC schools. But that would mean increasing academic standards for incoming athletes and I'm not sure the boosters would let that happen.

Again, I have degrees from ACC and SEC schools and really don't have a bias either way. Just stating what I've seen and experienced.

In other news...shock of the decade...Cam Newton leaves for the NFL!!! Now Daddy can finally get paid! I was pulling for Auburn in the title game but the logic center of my brain says Auburn keeps the title for 3 years, tops.

EDIT: I say Auburn keeps it. The NCAA doesn't want another "Reggie Bush" type scandal. It will make them look really bad....especially in Cam's case as they OK'd his playing in the game. They will look foolish if they disqualify Auburn's title later.

I think they will do all they can to sweep this one under the rug and pretend it never happened.

EDIT: I say Auburn keeps it. The NCAA doesn't want another "Reggie Bush" type scandal. It will make them look really bad in Cam's case as they OK'd his playing in the game. They will look foolish if they disqualify their title later.

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No, no, no!! I'll never say that for FSU. But you would be surprised concerning Miami. Seems Donna Shalala came in and made everyone attend class, even take their own tests and write their own papers.

As for Auburn, I certainly see your point but they whacked USC hard. THE USC Trojans, pretty boys of college football, so much tradition, excellent academic institution. Auburn's been in hot water before (and not too long ago, by the way). IMHO, the NCAA needs USC in the picture far more than they need Auburn. Until Oregon's recent success, USC was west coast college football. As they say in NASCAR..."there's cheating and then, well...there's cheatin'!!" Cheating is accepted but "cheatin'!!" crosses the line of fair play.

Campbell was also infamous in the late 1980s–early 1990s for his association with the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. Campbell told The Miami Herald that he offered "bounties" to Miami players for scoring touchdowns, intercepting passes, sacking quarterbacks, and knocking opposing players out of games.[citation needed] In 1993, he also once threatened to go public with various violations by the University of Miami's athletic department, specifically their football program, if Ryan Collins, an African-American player, wasn't named their starting quarterback for that season.[citation needed]

Campbell was interviewed about his involvement with the Miami Hurricanes for the documentary The U, which premiered December 12, 2009 on ESPN.

Uh huh. I particularly liked the "bounties" he paid. What a businessman!! He was basically using the no base salary/100% commission system used by many sales companies.

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Miami was TOTALLY out of control at that time. Drug delers were their boosters, the players were the most flamboyant and out of control any college team has ever been. You remember the Cotton Bowl back in about 1990 or 91 when they had around 300 yards in unportsmanlike penalties called on them? There was more dancing on the field in that game than there was in Saturday Night Fever

Miami was TOTALLY out of control at that time. Drug delers were their boosters, the players were the most flamboyant and out of control any college team has ever been. You remember the Cotton Bowl back in about 1990 or 91 when they had around 300 yards in unportsmanlike penalties called on them? There was more dancing on the field in that game than there was in Saturday Night Fever

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And the Miami "fight song" was the Darth Vader intro music from Star Wars. Duh duh duh, duh duh duh, duh duh duh. Classic! As a Va Tech guy, I can't tell you what a pleasure it's been to see the Hokies go 11-6 against the 'Canes since sanctions came down in '95.

From ESPN:
After suspending Kevin O'Neill on Friday, USC reinstated its men's head basketball coach on Sunday, athletic director Pat Haden announced."Effective immediately, I am reinstating Kevin O'Neill as our men's basketball head coach," Haden said in a statement. "Coach O'Neill and I have talked numerous times these past few days. He has continued to express his regret and embarrassment over the incident that led to his suspension from any remaining games of the Pac-10 Conference Tournament."

O'Neill was suspended for the remainder of the Pac-10 tournament in light of his involvement in a verbal altercation with Univ. of Arizona booster Paul Witman in a Los Angeles hotel lobby Thursday night.

Haden said O'Neill still faces additional discipline by the school and a fine.

UPDATE:
(from Julio Nievas-sb.nation.com):
"Coming off a 67-62 loss to Arizona to be eliminated from the Pac-10 tournament, USC looked to turn it around in the NCAA tournament by winning against the Virginia Commonwealth Rams.

However, USC will not advance in the first round as the VCU Rams defeat the Trojans in Dayton by a score of 59-46 in an ugly game all around for the Trojans."

Note: this USC-VCU game pitted two teams who wouldn't have made it into the traditional NCAA 64-team draw but instead had to rely on the NCAA expanding the tournament to allow additional "non-worthys" in, essentially tossing a bone to two dogs vying for the eventual 'honor' of having Georgetown urinate on them.

MEANWHILE:

(from Kevin Berger-sb.nation.com):
Recently, the NCAA Tournament bracket has given us some good 15-seed upsets of 2-seeds. That ain't happening here. Notre Dame plays an unselfish brand of basketball that makes it near upset-proof when taking on a squad with less talent. Akron fits that description.

Mike Brey's group will run its open post offense to perfection leaving Akron's front court chasing sharp-shooting bigs around the perimeter to no avail. If this one becomes a yawner, then check your NCAA Tournament schedule here for other games.

"Ha, ha funnyman....keep it up and I will kill you....And you know I will kill you.."

...seemingly with every passing day, good ol' play-by-the-rulesUSC seems to have yet another charge filed against them or another penalty levied. If it's not the woman's tennis program, the men's basketball program, or an overall NCAA admonishment for "lack of institutional control" (lack of institutional control?? -- are we talking "university" or the O.J. Simpson Psycho Ward?), it's something else. Well, good ol' USC somehow topped even themselves--going for the gusto and somehow taking it to the 'next level' :

HAVING A NATIONAL TITLE STRIPPED FROM THEM BY THE N.C.A.A.

now THAT's extreme, even by SC *cough* "standards"

Let us mourn their loss in reverent song:

Sung to the tune: "If You're Cheating and They KNOW it 'Clap' Your Hands"

a 1, and a 2, and a 3, and a 4,....and..

"If they stripped you of your title, RAISE YOUR HANDS.."

"If they stripped you of your title, RAISE YOUR HANDS.."

"..if '04's now sitting idle,
'cause they stripped of your title,

"If they stripped you of your title, RAISE YOUR HANDS!!"

"Beating the 'Rap' " - by O.J. Hammer

I'm the wife-beatard, O.J. Hammer,
Cochran's "race card" kept me outta the slammer,
I'm the SC matinee idol turned homicidal,
the SC fans' are now actin' suicidal,
I beat woman and paths that are both 'Bridal'
Pete bleeped-up, the cheat just lost his title..."

Had ND been stripped of a national title, would this thread have sat 'dormant' for this long?....

p.s. and while we're at it, notice the 'silence' that surrounded (on this board & elsewhere), the eventual arrest of the LA thugs that put that San Francisco kid into a coma....for the "unpardonable" crime of being a S.F. Giants baseball fan???...

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly has apologized to players who were offended by remarks he made concerning recruits of the previous regime who are still playing for the Fighting Irish, the Chicago Tribune has reported, citing a source close to the team.

Kelly discussed the matter with a group of players at Friday's customary team dinner after voicing their feelings.

The meeting came a day after the coach's post-practice comments to the media resulted in several players taking to Twitter in apparent ire, the newspaper reported.

"You can see the players that I have recruited, you know who they are," Kelly said Thursday. "We’ve had one class of kids that we’ve recruited that I’ve had my hand on.

"The other guys here are coming along," Kelly added. "It’s a process. It can’t happen overnight. They’re getting it. They’re making good progress."

After opening the season with back-to-back losses, Notre Dame (4-3) appeared to be on the right track again with four straight wins, the last two in blowout territory, before a 31-17 loss to USC on Saturday night.

Kelly, in his second season with Notre Dame after Charlie Weis was fired, wasn't apologizing earlier in the week when some USC players said they had been surprised Notre Dame didn't call a timeout during the game's final drive, with Trojans linebacker Chris Galippo flat-out saying the Irish had quit.

USC quarterback Matt Barkley echoed that Monday, saying it seemed as if the Irish had given up.

"Our guys know what happened. They got their butts beat," Kelly said Tuesday. "They didn't play very well, and that comes with it. You get what you deserve."

But if the players had been mum on the topic of their late-game efforts, a wedge appeared to emerge late Thursday on social media, punctuated by a tweet written by junior linebacker Manti Te'o.

"Playin for my bros and that's it!!!!" Te'o posted, according to the Tribune.

OK, You all have been trashing Notre dame football.
HOW do they go from laughing stock to national champions ? they beat USC and got revenge over the weekend and now looking for the team to play for the national championships. WOW

OK, You all have been trashing Notre dame football.
HOW do they go from laughing stock to national champions ? they beat USC and got revenge over the weekend and now looking for the team to play for the national championships. WOW

did they cheat ?

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Well, the prestige of Notre Dame allows them to be able to recruit easier than some other schools. The name gives them access to players that otherwise would not have gone to a school with that record.

And they haven't won the National Championship yet, I doubt they can beat Bama/UGA who will have the confidence and momentum of coming off a big win.

I kind of like ND because I'm old school, but I still don't think they are that good, they barely beat Pitt ?

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They convincingly beat OU in their house. ND's offense isn't any great shakes, but their defense (especially their running game defense) is elite. I think their line can hang with Bama's offensive line. Plus they manage ball possession and by virtue of all their close games, they know how to play tight. I don't think they beat Bama or Georgia, but I don't see a blowout.

ND has played a tough enough schedule that undefeated earns them the NC game. I dont see how anyone can complain about that.

Yes they barely beat beat Pitt. But point is they won the game. Bama didnt win when they did not have thier A-game. Neither did any other team besides Ohio State. When the season began Notre Dame had as tough as a schedule as anyone. And I think it still holds up. They have more than earned the right to lose to the SEC in the title game.

At the ND-SC FOOTBALL game, I counted FIVE as well...give or take 92,000. ND-SC football was "standing room only." ND-IN soccer was "standing around only"....hell even the soccer tix scalpers (Biff & Skippy) working the local Starbucks were complaining ... :razz:

"Guys!!...enough of this...let's get back to campus in time for the Indiana 'SOCCER' game!!!!"

South Bend Tribune, Nov. 26, 2012:"Now that the on-campus buzz over a coveted BCS appearance versus a vaunted (and most likely favored) SEC conference champion has died down, all attention was then drawn to the compelling ND-Indiana soccer match. Before a standing-around-only crowd (with the occassional car horn honking in the distance), the Hoosiers..."

The same Oregon that lost to Stanford, who lost to ..... Notre Dame. And Oregon always chokes in the big one, why would this year be any different? Oh wait, it wasn't.

I just don't get why everyone's thumbing their nose at Notre Dame.

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In the "College Football 2012" thread, you'll get some legit reasons for the thumb-nosing (i.e. reasons extending from years back). This EXPIRED, NOW IRRELEVANT-FOR-2012 thread title pretty much says it all...should be retitled "LMAO@USC" or more to the point, "Butt Hurt Central" (smirk)

ND has played a tough enough schedule that undefeated earns them the NC game. I dont see how anyone can complain about that.

Yes they barely beat beat Pitt. But point is they won the game. Bama didnt win when they did not have thier A-game. Neither did any other team besides Ohio State. When the season began Notre Dame had as tough as a schedule as anyone. And I think it still holds up. They have more than earned the right to lose to the SEC in the title game.

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I would agree--I see 'Bama winning the title.

Further (my "'Bama like" aside), I think 'Bama on its AA+ night is capable of blowing anyone out who's left in the mix with the possible exception of an improved (esp. at QB) LSU team. Overall, the SEC (esp. their defenses) are just a cut above the rest of the pack.

The top SEC teams are just deeper in pure atheletes than any other conference. Just check the maps of blue chip recruits. The south east almost has a lock on the blue chippers.

If these maps dont break it down I dont what does.

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Nice graphics, Hollywood. I mentioned the same thing in the college football thread yesterday. These maps are the very reason the ACC has no excuse for doing so poorly. These are wealthy schools with the resources to compete. ACCer's will always pull the tougher academics argument but why can Stanford and ND do so well? The Big 10 commish even mentioned changing demographics for the MD and Rutgers grab...he knows what's up for the future. Bball schools aside (UNC, Duke, Wake), Va Tech, NC St, Clemson and FSU should always be competing for the top 15-20 spots.

Growing up in MD through the 80's and 90's nobody around me really cared about college football. NFL wasnt that big of a deal either. Maybe becuase the Colts leaving Im not sure. But everyone always cared about the O's and they cared about Terp basketball.

But then around the 2000's (when MD won BBall title ironcially) fridgen came and got blasted by Florida in a big bowl game. The the ravnes won the SB and everyone around here started caring about football. Gary Williams didnt\wasnt allowed to recryuit the 1 and done BBall kids in the area and basketabll hit a flat spot missing the tournement. Now all the talk is about football, local news barely even covers the terps. Its been all ravens and Big 10 football now.

Va Tech, NC St, Clemson and FSU should always be competing for the top 15-20 spots.

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I think the issue is whether the schools want to shell out the huge money to hire star coaches. For example, Beamer makes less than Schiano at Rutgers. Most schools lose a lot of money to fund a college football team.

I think the issue is whether the schools want to shell out the huge money to hire star coaches. For example, Beamer makes less than Schiano at Rutgers. Most schools lose a lot of money to fund a college football team.

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Not a good example. At VT and in Virginia, Beamer is a star. Even though he may soon move on and bring in his successor. I don't buy that players would rather play for Schiano than Beamer, not like Rutgers won anything while Schiano was there, even compared to VT and in the feeble Big Least.

Va Tech, NC St, Clemson and FSU should always be competing for the top 15-20 spots.

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I think the issue is whether the schools want to shell out the huge money to hire star coaches. For example, Beamer makes less than Schiano at Rutgers. Most schools lose a lot of money to fund a college football team.

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NCst and Clemson have a lot of competition to recruit those blue chips (UNC, NCst, USCe, Clemson, UGA, GT, ECU, and UT are all within driving distance of NC/SC .

Given the historical prestige of FSU's football program (only program ever to finish ranked in the AP top 5 14 YEARS IN A ROW), relatively low academic standards and their >$80mil athletic budget, they should be top 15 even in a down year.

What kills me with that map is how small the blue chip count is in MD. There are so many great yougn athleletes in the state. I guess they seem to go the BBall route though like Casell and Carmelo.

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As someone who's lived in MD, then moved to Blacksburg, VA (Virginia Tech), I've noticed that people (fans) in major cities don't care about college football. Also, if you were to draw two lines through DC, one vertical and one horizontal, you'll find that just about no one in that top right corner cares about college football (some parts of PA being the exception).

FYI: The maps are per capita not nominal. The populous states produce the most players, the rural states in certain regions will have the highest per capita figures. If a state has a relatively high population and still has a high per capita figure then it will supply tons of blue chip players. Texas and Florida stand out in that regard. Louisiana must be football crazy (like Indiana is basketball crazy) given its very high per capita figures. Hawaii's per capita figures are surprisingly high. I would imagine California produces the most blue chip players overall even though its per capita figures are not that high.